1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to stabilized chlorodeoxysugar sweetening agent compositions in powder form. More particularly, this invention pertains to stabilized chlorodeoxysugar sweetening agent compositions which comprise a chlorodeoxysugar derivative such as chlorodeoxysucrose and chlorodeoxy-galactosucrose derivatives and a stabilizing agent wherein the stabilizing agent is capable of forming a stabilizing mixture with the chlorodeoxysugar derivative. The stabilized sweetening agent compositions may be utilized in a wide variety of ingestible compositions. This invention also pertains to methods for preparing these stabilized sweetening agent compositions and the ingestible compositions in which they may be employed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Intense sweeteners have a wide range of chemically distinct structures and hence possess varying properties. These intense sweetener compounds include water-soluble artificial sweeteners such as 1,2-benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one 1, 1-dioxide (saccharin and its salts), cyclohexylsulfamic acid (cyclamate and its salts), and the potassium salt of 6-methyl-1,2,3-oxathiazin-4(3H)-one-2,2-dioxide (Acesulfame-K, a commercially available product from Hoechst Celanese Corporation, Somerville, N.J.), proteins such as thaumatin (Talin, a commercially available product of Tate & Lyle Products, Reading, United Kingdom), chlorodeoxysugar derivatives (such as Sucralose, a commercially available product of McNeil Specialty Products Company, Skillman, New Jersey), and dipeptides such as N-L-alpha-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine I-methyl ester (Aspartame, a commercially available product of the Nutrasweet Company, Deerfield, Ill.) and L-alpha-aspartyl-D-alanine N-(2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-3-thietanyl)amide (Alitame, a commercially available product of Pfizer, New York, N.Y.), and dihydrochalcones. Each of these sweetening agents has a distinct sweetening intensity compared to sucrose and this sweetening intensity is well documented. For example, the following sweetening agents have the sweetening intensities set out below.
______________________________________ Sweetness Intensities of Various Sweetening Agents SWEETNESS COMPOUND INTENSITY* ______________________________________ 1, 2-Benzisothiazol-3(2H)-one 1, 1-dioxide 300.times. (Saccharin and its salts) Cyclohexylsulfamic acid 30.times. (Cyclamate and its salts) N-L-alpha-Aspartyl-L-phenylalanine 180.times.- 1-methyl ester (Aspartame) 200.times. Potassium salt of 6-methyl- 160.times. 1,2,3-oxathiazin-4(3H)-one- 2,2-dioxide (Acesulfame-K) 200.times. 4,1',6'-Trichloro-4,1',6'-trideoxy- 600.times. galactosucrose (Sucralose) L-alpha-Aspartyl-N-(2,2,4,4- 2000.times. tetramethyl-3-thietanyl)-D- alaninamide hydrate (Alitame) ______________________________________ *Compared to sucrose.
Because each intense sweetening agent is chemically distinct, each sweetener presents a different challenge with respect to the actual use of such sweetener in ingestible compositions. For example, some intense sweeteners have an associated bitter taste or off-note such as Saccharin (a commercially available product of PMC Specialty Group Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio), stevioside, Acesulfame-K, glycyrrhizin, dipotassium glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhizic acid ammonium salt, and thaumatin (Talin). Other intense sweeteners present stability problems. Aspartame, for example, exhibits instability in the presence of aldehydes, ketones, moisture, and the like. Sucralose, on the other hand, turns dark during storage. This color change occurs at the following rate:
______________________________________ Temperature Decomposition Time ______________________________________ 75.degree. F. 18-36 months 86.degree. F. 3 months 104.degree. F. 3 weeks 122.degree. F. 1 week ______________________________________
This color decomposition of Sucralose is believed to be initiated by exposure of Sucralose to heat and moisture during storage. Generally, decomposition begins slowly and then, once begun, the decomposition reaction accelerates rapidly. Aqueous solutions of Sucralose have been proposed to stabilize the sweetening agent but such solutions add significant amounts of moisture and change the composition of the chewing gum or other edible formulation. These aqueous solutions also tend to require preservatives. Also for some encapsulations, powders are required and such powders should be heat stabilized. A 50:50 mixture of Sucralose and Maltodextrin has also been proposed to increase the stability of Sucralose but such mixtures are dilute and still do not provide satisfactory stability properties.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,440, issued to Hough et al. and assigned to Tate and Lyle plc, discloses sweetening agents which comprise chlorodeoxysugar derivatives.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,495,170, issued to Beytes et al. and assigned to Tate and Lyle plc, discloses synergistic sweetening compositions which comprise a mixture of a chlorodeoxysugar and another sweetening agent which has an associated bitter taste. The chlorodeoxysugars are selected from the group consisting of chlorodeoxysucroses and chlorodeoxygalacto-sucroses. The bitter tasting sweetening agent is selected from the group consisting of Saccharin, stevioside and Acesulfame-K.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 230,282, filed Aug. 9, 1988, to Cherukuri et al. and assigned to Warner-Lambert Company, discloses synergistic sweetening compositions which comprise Sucralose and Aspartame and Sucralose and Alitame. In general, the synergistic sweetening compositions comprise Sucralose and Aspartame, or Sucralose and Alitame, in a ratio by weight from about 65:35 to about 91.7:8.3, respectively.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 264,248, filed Oct. 28, 1988, to Cherukuri et al. and assigned to Warner-Lambert Company, discloses synergistic sweetening compositions which comprise Sucralose and Maltitol.
PCT patent application serial No. WO 89/03182A, priority date Oct. 6, 1987, to Tate & Lvle plc, discloses synergistic sweetening compositions which comprise Sucralose and a saccharide bulk sweetening agent selected from the group consisting of fructose, glucose, maltose, xylitol, mannitol, and sorbitol.
European Patent Application serial No. 267,809A2 discloses synergistic sweetening compositions which comprise Sucralose and maltodextrin.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,820,528, issued to Stroz et al. and assigned to Nabisco Brands, Inc., discloses a codried composition consisting essentially of about 99.9% to 90% saccharin and about 0.1% to about 10% of a halodeoxysugar, by weight.
United Kingdom patent application No. 2,197,575A, to Jenner and assigned to Tate & Lyle plc, discloses a codried composition consisting of from about 20% to about 80% sucralose and a water-soluble oligosaccharide, by dry weight.
PCT patent application serial No. WO 89/08672A, priority date May 15, 1987, to Yatka et al., discloses a chewing gum composition having controlled sweetness wherein the gum contains an effective amount of Sucralose.
Thus, the above references disclose a variety of combinations of sweetening agents which have specific sweetness intensities compared to sucrose. None of the above references, however, disclose a stabilized chlorodeoxysugar sweetening agent composition in powder form. Such stabilized sweetening agent compositions could be stored for longer periods of time and could be processed at higher temperatures. The present invention provides such stabilized chlorodeoxysugar sweetening agent compositions in powder form and the sweetened ingestible compositions and chewing gum products in which the stabilized sweetening agent compositions may be used.